The Secret Agent, the Brazilian political thriller directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho, won Best Foreign Language Film at the Critics Choice Awards, marking the second consecutive year that a film with strong Latin American identity has been recognized by the organization. Set during Brazil’s military dictatorship, the film’s victory reinforces the growing international presence of Brazilian cinema — even as the moment of its announcement ignited controversy and an intense online reaction, particularly among Brazilian audiences known for their exceptional digital engagement.
Inside The Secret Agent: Politics, Fear, and Memory
Set in Brazil during the final and darkest years of the military regime, The Secret Agent unfolds as a dense political thriller shaped by constant surveillance, fear, and institutional violence. The story follows Armando, portrayed by Wagner Moura, a former professor caught in the moral and psychological turmoil of an authoritarian state. Rather than relying on explicit explanations, Mendonça Filho constructs tension through atmosphere, sound design, and restrained dialogue, allowing the weight of repression to permeate every scene.
International Recognition and Festival Momentum
The film has been widely praised for its formal precision and its refusal to turn history into didactic spectacle. Since its international premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2025, The Secret Agent has accumulated critical acclaim across Europe and Latin America. At Cannes, it emerged as the most awarded title of the edition, receiving Best Actor and Best Director honors, along with the FIPRESCI Prize for Best Film — an achievement that placed it firmly on the international awards radar.
From Critics Choice to Golden Globes and the Oscars
The Critics Choice win does not stand alone. The film enters this awards season with nominations at the Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Actor – Drama for Moura, as well as another nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. It has also secured a place on the shortlist for the Academy Awards as Brazil’s official submission for Best International Feature Film, reinforcing its status as one of the country’s strongest cinematic exports in recent decades.
Latin American Cinema’s Growing Presence
More broadly, the win extends a significant pattern. In the previous edition of the Critics Choice Awards, the same category was claimed by Emilia Pérez, a predominantly Spanish-language film that also went on to receive major international recognition. Two consecutive victories by films rooted in Latin American realities signal a meaningful shift within an awards ceremony long dominated by English-language productions — and suggest that stories from the region are increasingly shaping the global cinematic conversation.
The Controversial Award Presentation
Despite the milestone, the award presentation itself quickly became the center of controversy. Instead of being announced on the main stage, the Best Foreign Language Film prize was revealed during a red-carpet interview at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. Director Kleber Mendonça Filho and producer Emilie Lesclaux were visibly surprised when informed of their win mid-interview, and before either could deliver a formal acceptance speech, the broadcast abruptly cut to a commercial break.
Online Backlash and Brazilian Engagement
The incident sparked immediate backlash online. Viewers and film professionals criticized the decision to present the award off-stage, arguing that it diminished the significance of the category and the filmmakers’ achievement. Many pointed out that such treatment would be unlikely for awards associated with Hollywood’s most favored productions, framing the moment as emblematic of a broader imbalance in how international films are recognized within U.S. ceremonies.
Brazilian audiences, in particular, amplified the reaction. Known globally for their high levels of online engagement — from music charts to film festivals — Brazilians flooded social media with clips of the announcement, critical commentary, and messages of solidarity with the filmmakers. The episode quickly transcended the ceremony itself, evolving into a broader discussion about respect, visibility, and equal treatment for non-English-language cinema on the world’s most influential stages.
Beyond the Controversy: A Film That Commands Attention
Ironically, the controversy underscored the very impact the film represents. The Secret Agent is not only a critically acclaimed political thriller; it is part of a broader moment in which Brazilian cinema is gaining unprecedented international attention by revisiting its own history to illuminate contemporary debates about power, memory, and democracy. In winning the Critics Choice Award — even under disputed circumstances — the film reaffirmed a central truth of the current awards season: Brazilian stories are not only reaching global audiences, they are commanding attention and provoking conversation well beyond the screen.
